Education Elaine Foster Allen Accountability In Jamaican Education

Presented by Elaine Foster-Allen 1

Accountability in Accountability in Jamaican Education: the Jamaican Education: the

state of playstate of playCaribbean Policy Research Caribbean Policy Research

InstituteInstituteOctober 29October 29thth 20082008


Perspectives on Accountability in Perspectives on Accountability in EducationEducation

The term The term ––accountabilityaccountability-- traditionally linked traditionally linked to managerial and accounting practices in to managerial and accounting practices in both private and public sectors,both private and public sectors,

and, and, politically, to neopolitically, to neo--conservatism in the UK of conservatism in the UK of

the 1980 and US of the 1990s.the 1980 and US of the 1990s.


Perspectives on Accountability in Perspectives on Accountability in EducationEducation

In education the term made popular In education the term made popular throughout the 1980throughout the 1980’’s and into the 90s and into the 90’’s s through government reforms of through government reforms of Conservative Governments Conservative Governments -- UK, USUK, US

Gathered momentum during later 90Gathered momentum during later 90’’s and s and into 21into 21stst century via work of School century via work of School Improvement and Effectiveness Improvement and Effectiveness Researchers Researchers –– UK, Canada and US UK, Canada and US


Perspectives contPerspectives cont’’dd

Introduced into the language of Introduced into the language of international funding agencies, as part of international funding agencies, as part of their strategic policy guides, late 1990their strategic policy guides, late 1990’’s s early 2000. early 2000.


Accountability, an IDB StrategyAccountability, an IDB Strategy ““and provides a set of objectives and and provides a set of objectives and

strategies to guide the IDB in its support strategies to guide the IDB in its support of primary and secondary educationof primary and secondary education over over the next decade.the next decade. The paper defines The paper defines five critical five critical areas of reformareas of reform—— making teachers partners in making teachers partners in reform, providing more and better textbooks reform, providing more and better textbooks and teaching materials, selectively supporting and teaching materials, selectively supporting the use of technology in education, the use of technology in education, decentralizing educational management decentralizing educational management and increasing accountability of key and increasing accountability of key stakeholdersstakeholders,,””


Miller, E. Miller, E. -- IDB contIDB cont’’dd

The IDB will support analytical work and The IDB will support analytical work and programs to improve programs to improve teacher incentives teacher incentives and accountability at the school and accountability at the school level. level.

Reforming Primary and Secondary Education in Latin America and tReforming Primary and Secondary Education in Latin America and the he Caribbean, An IDB Strategy Caribbean, An IDB Strategy InterInter--American Development BankAmerican Development Bank

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. Sustainable Development Department, Sector Sustainable Development Department, Sector Strategy and Policy Papers Series, Strategy and Policy Papers Series,

March 2000March 2000


Introduced into discourse and language of Introduced into discourse and language of educators in the Caribbean in the late 1990educators in the Caribbean in the late 1990’’s:s:

““Equalization of public resources goes hand in Equalization of public resources goes hand in hand with the need to strengthen school based hand with the need to strengthen school based management. Enhanced monitoring and management. Enhanced monitoring and supervision of schools, supervision of schools, clear standards of clear standards of accountability for schoolsaccountability for schools, training of school , training of school board members and management training for board members and management training for principals will all help to strengthen education principals will all help to strengthen education financing.financing.”” Miller, E.Miller, E.

Errol Miller, 1999, for World Bank


““Further steps are needed to build up the Further steps are needed to build up the assessment program for secondary assessment program for secondary education for monitoring and diagnostic education for monitoring and diagnostic uses, and also to uses, and also to lay the foundation of lay the foundation of an accountability systeman accountability system..”” Report No.19069Report No.19069--JM JM ““Jamaica Secondary Education: Jamaica Secondary Education:

Improving Quality and Extending AccessImproving Quality and Extending Access””, Volume 1: , Volume 1: Main Report December 17, 1999 Document of the Main Report December 17, 1999 Document of the World Bank World Bank www.wdsworldbank.orgwww.wdsworldbank.org..

Errol Miller, 1999, for WB Errol Miller, 1999, for WB --11


Former Minister of EducationFormer Minister of EducationThe White Paper 2001The White Paper 2001

Among the seven strategic objectives of Among the seven strategic objectives of the MOEC are: Literacy for all; access, the MOEC are: Literacy for all; access, equity and relevance throughout the equity and relevance throughout the education system; education system; accountability and accountability and performance management in order to performance management in order to improve performance and win public improve performance and win public confidence and trust;confidence and trust; effectiveness and effectiveness and efficiency of staff; and greater use of efficiency of staff; and greater use of information and communication information and communication technology. technology.


Former Minister of EducationFormer Minister of Education

The Ministry of Education, Youth and The Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture is ensuring Culture is ensuring closer supervisioncloser supervisionand and monitoring of the system to monitoring of the system to achieve a higher degree of achieve a higher degree of accountabilityaccountability.. This school year, the This school year, the new performance new performance evaluation system evaluation system designed to improve professionalism designed to improve professionalism of our teachersof our teachers will be rolled out will be rolled out systemsystem--wide. wide. JIS, Sunday, September 05, 2004 JIS, Sunday, September 05, 2004


Task Force Report, 2004Task Force Report, 2004

The country now has a validated National The country now has a validated National Shared Vision for Education, which highlights:Shared Vision for Education, which highlights:

•• full stakeholder participationfull stakeholder participation•• equitable and accessible education for allequitable and accessible education for all•• accountability, transparency and performance at all levels of thaccountability, transparency and performance at all levels of the e

system system

We believe that We believe that accountability for accountability for performanceperformance is a fundamental issue at allis a fundamental issue at all

levels of the systemlevels of the system


““Managerial AccountabilityManagerial Accountability””

investment in education is most efficiently investment in education is most efficiently allocated using students as the focus allocated using students as the focus rather than institutions. It is to this end rather than institutions. It is to this end that the Task Force is recommending that that the Task Force is recommending that Government fund students to a fixed Government fund students to a fixed amount at whatever school they choose amount at whatever school they choose while providing the policy and quality while providing the policy and quality support to ensure support to ensure proper operation and proper operation and accountability for performance at all accountability for performance at all institutions.institutions.


““Democratizing AccountabilityDemocratizing Accountability””TFR, 2004TFR, 2004

Accountability, Transparency and Accountability, Transparency and Performance of the Education SystemPerformance of the Education System

““Critical stakeholders of our education Critical stakeholders of our education systemsystem——parents, students, teachers and parents, students, teachers and all staff, Ministry of Education, school all staff, Ministry of Education, school boards, civil societyboards, civil society——are are all answerableall answerableto one another within a framework of to one another within a framework of sanctions.sanctions.””


Value for Money TFR, 2004Value for Money TFR, 2004

The improved systems of accountability The improved systems of accountability discussed under Accountability for discussed under Accountability for Performance at all levels are critical prePerformance at all levels are critical pre--requisites for the ability of the system to requisites for the ability of the system to absorb and absorb and provide the anticipated provide the anticipated returns on the levels of increased returns on the levels of increased investment in education that is investment in education that is required.required.


““Managerial and MoralManagerial and Moral””Accountability Accountability

He said the education ministry was holding itself He said the education ministry was holding itself accountable for accountable for the outcomes in the system.the outcomes in the system.

Minister of Education, Andrew Minister of Education, Andrew HolnessHolness::

"A challenge is to get "A challenge is to get our leaders in our leaders in education, our education administrators, education, our education administrators, instructors, teachers to be accountable for instructors, teachers to be accountable for the outcomes of the Educationthe outcomes of the Education Ministry.Ministry. For For too long in our education system, we have too long in our education system, we have not not had a had a strong spirit ofstrong spirit of accountabilityaccountability,"," he stated.he stated. Jamaica Observer 24September 04Jamaica Observer 24September 04


““Professional AccountabilityProfessional Accountability”” "If it is, that after we "If it is, that after we analyseanalyse the Grade Four the Grade Four

Achievement Test and we see that in 1999 Achievement Test and we see that in 1999 nearly 60 per cent were not reading at the nearly 60 per cent were not reading at the Grade Four level, Grade Four level, somebody should be held somebody should be held accountable and accountability doesn't accountable and accountability doesn't mean punishment or sanctions.mean punishment or sanctions.Accountability really means that someone Accountability really means that someone must find a solutionmust find a solution," the Education Minister ," the Education Minister pointed out. pointed out. KINGSTON (JIS):KINGSTON (JIS):Thursday, September 25, 2008Thursday, September 25, 2008


Holding the System Accountable Holding the System Accountable through Inspections in Jamaicathrough Inspections in Jamaica

In the Jamaican context, the following issues have In the Jamaican context, the following issues have come to the fore:come to the fore:

The performance and educational outcomes our The performance and educational outcomes our children is unsatisfactory children is unsatisfactory

Teacher Performance Teacher Performance –– when linked to student when linked to student outcomes, in many cases, this leaves much to outcomes, in many cases, this leaves much to be desiredbe desired

Funding of Education expensive on national Funding of Education expensive on national pocket, are we getting value for money? pocket, are we getting value for money?


Holding the System Accountable Holding the System Accountable through Inspections in Jamaicathrough Inspections in Jamaica

Compliance with regulations Compliance with regulations –– financial financial and otherand other

Governance matters in relation to Governance matters in relation to --interpretation and implementation of interpretation and implementation of educational legislation educational legislation

Reliability and probity, to a lesser extent, Reliability and probity, to a lesser extent, can educators be trusted can educators be trusted –– extra lessons, extra lessons, marking and assessment marking and assessment -- bumping up bumping up gradesgrades


Types of Accountability ObservedTypes of Accountability Observed

““In the field of education there are three In the field of education there are three main types of accountability systems: a) main types of accountability systems: a) compliance with regulations, b) Adherence compliance with regulations, b) Adherence to professional norms, and c) results to professional norms, and c) results drivendriven”” Jo Anne Anderson, Accountability in Education, IIEP, UNESCO, Jo Anne Anderson, Accountability in Education, IIEP, UNESCO,

20052005


Preferred Jamaican Model of Preferred Jamaican Model of Accountability Accountability

Self Evaluation by schools, Self Evaluation by schools, REAREA’’ss, , TTITTI Inspections undertaken by an independent Inspections undertaken by an independent

and autonomous body and autonomous body –– National National Education InspectorateEducation Inspectorate

School or institutional improvement School or institutional improvement ––emphasis on the profession taking emphasis on the profession taking responsibility for improvement of the responsibility for improvement of the sector with strong support from sector with strong support from decentralized REAdecentralized REA


Components of the Accountability Components of the Accountability System ~System ~

Being interrogated are the following:Being interrogated are the following: ““What do we expect students to know and What do we expect students to know and

be able to do?be able to do? How satisfied are we that students have How satisfied are we that students have

mastered the established content mastered the established content standards? standards? (What about values, morals (What about values, morals and spirituality? and spirituality? EFAEFA))

How are teachers prepared to be effective How are teachers prepared to be effective in their classrooms with all their students?in their classrooms with all their students?


Components of the Accountability Components of the Accountability System ~System ~

How and to what degree is the public How and to what degree is the public informed about school results and the informed about school results and the contributors to those results?contributors to those results?

How does society respond to the How does society respond to the information they receive about the information they receive about the performance of the school?performance of the school?”” Jo Anne Anderson, Accountability in Education, IIEP, UNESCO, Jo Anne Anderson, Accountability in Education, IIEP, UNESCO,

20052005


Inspections and AccountabilityInspections and Accountability Will inspections have any causal effect on the Will inspections have any causal effect on the

quality of school performance?quality of school performance? Will schools be driven to Will schools be driven to ““window dressingwindow dressing””?? How do we avoid, the profession collectively, How do we avoid, the profession collectively,

feeling that accountability is about feeling that accountability is about ““the witchthe witch--huntinghunting””??

How do we get the profession to consolidate How do we get the profession to consolidate their professional responsibility and their professional responsibility and accountability to themselves, parents, students accountability to themselves, parents, students and wider society, rather than seeing and wider society, rather than seeing accountability as an external and unnecessary accountability as an external and unnecessary evil demand? ( evil demand? ( BeistaBeista, G.J.J., 2004), G.J.J., 2004)

Education Elaine Foster Allen Accountability In Jamaican Education

Education

Transcript of Education Elaine Foster Allen Accountability In Jamaican Education